Iran vows to attack Gulf energy centres after U.S.-Israel strike on its gas field
The Hindu
Iran threatens retaliation against Gulf energy facilities following U.S.-Israel strikes, escalating tensions in the region.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) threatened to target refineries and petrochemical complexes in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on gas facilities in Iran’s southern Bushehr province. This came hours after Israeli air strikes killed Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib, the third high-profile assassination in 24 hours.
Iran-Israel war updates on March 18, 2026
“Moments ago, parts of the gas facilities located in the South Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Asaluyeh were struck by projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy,” Iranian state television reported on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) evening. The South Pars/North Dome mega-field is the largest known gas reserve in the world. Iran had earlier warned that any attack on its energy infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes at energy facilities in the region.
Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya military command said in a statement that it would “severely strike the source of the aggression and consider targeting the fuel, energy and gas infrastructure” of the countries from which the attacks were launched. Iran says the U.S. is using its bases in the Persian Gulf monarchies to launch its attacks.
The IRGC issued “urgent evacuation” orders for people living near key energy production facilities in the three Persian Gulf countries. “Five complexes, two refineries, two petrochemical complexes, and a gas field in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have become now legitimate targets for Iranian retaliation,” the Guards said in a statement.
The facilities named in the warning are the Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complex in Saudi Arabia, the Al‑Hosn Gas Field in the UAE, and the Al‑Mesaieed Holding and Petrochemical Complex, as well as Phases 1 and 2 of the Ras Laffan Refinery in Qatar.
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